Mark Farley given suspended sentence for handling criminal proceeds

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Mark Farley was given a fully suspended three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 7 February 2024. The proceedings were reported on 7 February 2024.

Farley, 42, of Belgard Road, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to handling the proceeds of criminal conduct on dates between 8 and 18 December 2020.

Detective Garda Eimhear Keeshan told the court that an Irish couple moving back from Belgium had secured a solicitor to handle the purchase of a retirement home in Athboy, Co Meath. The solicitor’s email account was hacked, and the couple were directed to lodge €177,000 into a bank account in Farley’s name.

Keeshan confirmed that the account was frozen. Although €15,000 had been transferred to another beneficiary, all the funds were returned to the couple within 16 days.

Farley told gardaí that, after a work injury, he began taking OxyContin, started using heroin and ran up a drug debt. He initially said people who had taken over his apartment had access to everything there, but ultimately admitted handing over his bank details.

Keeshan agreed with defence counsel James Dwyer that Farley said he had been intimidated into allowing his account to be used. She accepted that he was at the lowest level and was not due to receive any of the funds, while emphasising that his role was necessary for the crime.

Judge Martin Nolan said Farley had been reckless, but had a low level of culpability and did not know what the main movers in the scheme were going to do.